Apparatus for coiling volute springs



L. A. KLEE APPARATUS FOR COILING VOLU'TE-SPRINGS Nov. 25, '1947.

Filed June 2l, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet L Nov. 25, 19,47. L. A. LEE 2,431,668

APPARATUS FOR COILING VOLUTE SPRINGS Filed June, 21, 1945 3 sheets-sheet s' IN V EN TOR.

Patented Nov. 25, 1947 APPARATUS FOR COILING VOLUTE SPRINGS Lester A. Klee, Hammond, Ind., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 21, 1943, Serial No. 491,621

14 Claims. l

My invention relates to an apparatus for Winding coil springs and more particularly volute coil springs.

Another object of my invention is to design an apparatus which will automatically guide the bar at a gradually increasing or decreasing helix angle.

This feature is particularly significant in the case of volute coil springs inasmuch as light loads on such a spring are vsubstantially entirely controlled by the large coils thereof, whereas the heavy loads are substantially entirely controlled by the small coils of the spring inasmuch as the outer coils close first during loading, and as load is increased the various coils go solid progressively from the largest to the smallest.

For this reason, if the light load capacity of a volute spring is desired to be relatively great With respect to its heavy load capacity, it is desirable to coil the spring at a gradually increasing helix or helical angle so that the larger outer coils which control light loads will be of abnormally great pitch with respect to the smaller coils. Conversely, if the heavy load capacity of such a spring is desired to be increased with respect to the light load capacity thereof, it is-desirable to coil the spring at a gradually decreasing helix angle.

Still another object of my invention is to design a. coiling apparatus comprising a rotatable mandrel and a guide beam mounted adjacent thereto, said beam being normally disposed in a vertical plane perpendicularto the axis of the mandrel, and said beam being affordeda pivot at the end thereof adjacent the mandrel.

A further object of my invention is to devise an apparatussuch as abovedescribed in which the end of the beam adjacent the mandrel is adjustable not only about its pivot, but also in a direction parallel to the axis of the mandrel in order to accommodate various lengths of springs.

My invention comprehends a mandrel having a plurality of steps progressively increasing in diameter, each step tapering toward the small end of the mandrel whereby as a bar of stock is coiled thereon a force is set up which tends to urge the end of the bar remote from the mandrel toward the large end thereof and against the associated guide beam.

A different object of my invention is to devise an apparatus such as above described wherein the mandrel supporting shaft is supported by means of a novel bearing member slidable in a track formed on a supporting frame member.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of a'coil Winding apparatus embodying my invention, portions of the structure being shown in section, and Figure 2 is a side elevation with the guide beam shown in section along the vertical plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation taken from the right as seen in Figures 1 and 2, a portion` of the structure being shown in section, and Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views taken respectively in the planes indicated by the lines 4--4 and 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figures 6 and 7 are diagrammatic illustrations of the mandrel, the guide beam, and the bar of stock to show the manner in which the position of the beam relative to the mandrel affects the helix angle at which the bar is Wound upon the mandrel.

Describing my invention in detail, a mandrel generally designated I0 is mounted as at I2 (Figure l) upon a shaft I4 carried by a bearing member generally designated I6 comprising bearings I8, I8 at opposite ends thereof for the reception of the shaft I4, said bearing member I 6 having a flanged base 2G' slidably mounted in a track 22 (Figure 3) on a frame member 24 supported from a bed 25. Plates 26, '26 are secured to the member 24 and overlie the anges of the base 20 to maintain the same Within the track 22, as will be clearly apparent from a consideration of Figure 3. Collars 28, 28 are mounted on the shaft I 4 for abutment with the bearings I8, I8 Where- Vby as the shaft is moved axially thereof the bearing member I6 is carried with said shaft to afford support therefor.

The mandrel I0 comprises a plurality of steps f' 30, 30 of progressively increasing diameter, the

largest step being received in a bearing 32 (Figure l) mounted on the bracket 34 supported from the bed 25, and the smallest step having a square nose 36 for reception within a complementary opening 38 in a face plate 40 secured as at 42, 42 to a chuck 44, said chuck being connected to a head stock motor (not shown) in conventionall manner and being rotatable by means of said motor to effect a rotatable movement of the mandrel.

A key 46 is slidably recessed in the smallest step of the mandrel and carries a pin 48 (Figure 5) for reception within a complementary opening in the bar of stock indicated at 50, said key'facilitating in usual manner removal of the bar after the same has been coiled on the mandrel. A guide beam 49 is provided for the bar 50, the end of said beam adjacent the mandrel being pivotally connected at 5I to an adjusting member 52 which is adjustably secured to the frame '24 by means of bolt and nut assemblies 54, 54, the heads of the bolts being received within a track or guide 56 in the frame 24, said track 56 extending substantially parallel to the axis of the mandrel. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the bolt and nut assemblies 54, 54 may be loosened and Will then be slidable in the track 56 to provide adjustment for the beam 49 in a direction parallel with the axis of the mandrel in order to accommodate the winding of springs of various lengths.

The beam 49 is supported adjacent its end re.- mote from the mandrel on a bracket generally designated 58 and comprising a bar 60 having a slot 62 and mounted on a pair of legs G4, 64, said beam being fixed at any desired angular position with respect to the aXis of the mandrel by means of a lug 66 on the beam and a bolt and nut assembly 68 extending through said lug and through the slot 62 in the bar 50. It may be noted that in Figurev 1 the beam 49 is indicated in its normal position in solid lines; and is, indicated in dotted lines in a position assumed after it has been moved in a` clockwise direction about the pivot point I. The slot 52 is of suicient width to accommodate pivotal movement of the beam 49 about its pivot 5I in any desired position of the member 52 within the track 55. The purpose of thus pivotingA the bar will be hereinafter more fully described.

It may be noted that the steps of the mandrel are tapered toward the small end thereof whereby, as the bar 50 is coiled on the mandrel, a force is set up which automatically urges the bar against the beam 49, said force maintaining the bar in guiding engagement with the beamv at all times as the bar is coiled on the mandrel. In this connection, any desired form of mandrel may be utiliz-ed provided that the bar be coiled under such conditions that it is urged against the beam.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that when the beam is in normal position in a vertical plane at right angles to the axis of the mandrel, as illustrated in solid lines in Figure 1, the bar 5l! is coiled on the mandrel at a constant helix angle indicated at X (Figurel). When, however, the beam is pivoted in a clockwise direction, as indicated in dotted lines in said figure, the bar will be coiled on the mandrel at a gradually increasing helix angle, and conversely, when the beam is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction, the bar will be coiledv at a gradually decreasing helix angle, inasmuch as in each case the bar is initially positioned with the end thereof remote from the mandrel in guiding engagement with the beam, the tapered steps of the mandrel causing the bar to remain in said engagement asr it is coiled on the mandrel.

This feature is clearly illustrated in the diagrams of Figures 6 and 7 wherein the mandrel generally indicated at I0 is divided into equal segments A-A. In this illustration, the beam 49 is pivoted from its normal position so that the bar is started in a position perpendicular to the mandrel in the position indicated at B-l, and the coiling or helix angle at the start is 0- degrees. After the mandrel has turn-ed an increment A,

.pointl has moved to point 2, and the bar is now in position 2-B2. Thus the pitch for soiling another increment of bar is equal to 1 2. The bar is now coiled another increment A and it will be seen that point 2 has moved to point 3, inasmuch as 2'-3 is equal to 1 2. Therefore 2'-2 plus 3*--B3 is equal to B-1, and the new position of the bar is .3K-B3, the pitchbeing distance 2-3for Itl will be` understood that if the beam 49 is pivoted counterclockwise from its normal position as illustrated in Figure 1, the bar will be coiled upon the mandrel at a gradually decreasing helix angle instead of at a gradually increasing helix angle, as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

It is to be understood that I dov not wish to bey limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown which is merely by Way of illustration and not limitation as various` and other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

l. In a device for winding volute coil springs, a frame, a rotatable chuck supported adjacent thereto, a bearing member slidably mounted in a track in said frame and comprising a plurality of spaced bearings, a shaft carried by said bearings, saidshaft being provided with means for sliding said member in saidtrack duri-ng axial movement of said shaft, a mandrel comprising a plurality `of stepsof progressively increasing diameter, the large end of said mandrel being mounted -on said shaft, the'small end of` said mandrel being in driving engagement with. said chuck andV being retractable from said engagement by means of said shaft, another track inl said. frame extending parallel to the axis` of the mandrel at oneside thereof, a,k member adjustably mounted in said track, a guide beam having one end thereof pivotally mounted on the last-mentioned member, and means adjacenty the opposite end of said beam for adjustably securing said beam againstA pivotal movement thereof,` said last-mentioned means comprising a bracket having spaced legs. with a bar secured to the tops: thereof, a slot. through said bar, and securing means extending through said slot and a, portionv of sai-d beam'.V

2. In a device for winding volute, coil. springs, a frame, av rotatable, chuck supported adjacent thereto,l a bearingvmember slidably'mcunted on a track in said frame and-comprising a plurality of spaced bearings, asha-t carried by.V said bearings, said shaft being provided with, means, for sliding said member'in saidl tracky during axial movement of said` shaft, a@ mandrel*A comprising a plurality of steps. of progressively increasing diameter, the largey end of saidmandrel being mounted on said shaft the small end ofV said mandrel being in driving engagement with said chuck and being retractable from said engagement by meansA of said shaft, another track in said frameextending parallel to the axis of the mandrel at one side. there= of, a member adjustablyA mounted in saidY track, a guide beam having` one end thereof pivotallyv mounted on the last-mentioned member, and means adjacent theV opposite endof` said beam for adjustably securing said beam againstv pivotal movement thereof;

3. In a device for Winding; volute coilsprings; a

frame, a rotatable chuck supported adjacent thereto, a mandrel comprising a plurality of steps of progressively increasing diameter, the small end of said mandrel being in driving engagement with said chuck and being retractable from said engagement, a track in said frame extending parallel to the axis of the mandrel at one side thereof, a member adjustably mounted in said track, a guide beam having one end thereof pivoted on the last-mentionedl member, and

` means adjacent the opposite end of said beam for adjustably securing the same against pivotal movement thereof, said last-mentioned means comprising a bracket having spaced legs With a bar secured thereon, a slot through said bar, and securing means extending through said slot and a portion of the beam.

4. In a device for winding volute coilr springs, -a frame, a rotatable chuck supported adjacent thereto, a bearing member slidably mounted on a track in said frame and comprising a plurality of spaced bearings, a shaft carried by said bearings, said shaft being provided with means for sliding said member in said track during axial movement of said shaft, a mandrel comprising a plurality of steps of progressively increasing diameter, the large end of said mandrel being mounted on said shaft, the small end of said mandrel being in driving engagement with said chuck and being retractable from said engagement by means of said shaft, guide means pivotally mounted on said frame for guiding an associated bar of stock onto said mandrel, andY means for adjustably securing said guide means against pivotal movement thereof.

5. In a device for winding volute coil springs, a frame, a rotatable chuck supported adjacent thereto, a mandrel comprising a plurality of steps of progressively increasing diameter, the small end of said mandrel being in driving engagement with said chuck and being retractable from said engagement, a track in said frame extending parallel to the axis of the mandrel at one side thereof, a member adjustably mounted in said track, a guide beam having one end thereof pivoted on the last-mentioned member, and means adjacent the opposite end of said beam for adjustably securing the same against pivotal movement thereof.

6. Apparatus for coiling springs comprising a frame, a rotatable chuck adjacent thereto, a mandrel in driving engagement with said chuck, a bearing slidably mounted in a track on said frame, said track extending parallel with the axis of the mandrel, a shaft received Within said bearing and interlocked with said mandrel, said shaft being movable axially thereof to urge said mandrel into said engagement to retract said mandrel therefrom, and collars on said shaft for sliding said bearing on said frame during movement of said mandrel toward and away from said chuck.

7. Apparatus for coiling springs comprising a frame, rotatable means adjacent thereto, a mandrel in driving engagement with said means, a guide on said frame extending substantially parallel to the axis of said mandrel, a bearing member reciprocal Within said guide and comprising spaced bearings, a shaft carried by said bearings and interlocked with said mandrel, said shaft being movable axially thereof to urge said mandrel into said engagement and to retract said mandrel therefrom, and means on` said shaft intermediate said bearings for moving said member during axial movement of said shaft.

8. In av device for winding volute coil springs, a frame, a mandrel supported adjacent thereto and rotatable on a substantially horizontal axis, said mandrel having a plurality of steps of progressively increasing diameter, a guide beam having one end thereof pivoted from said frame on a vertical axis adjacent the large end of said mandrel, and means for adjustably securing said beam against movement on the last-mentioned axis, the steps of said mandrel being tapered toward the small end thereof, the rst-mentioned end of said beam also being adjustable in a direction longitudinally of the mandrel.

9. Apparatus for coiling springs comprising a frame, al rotatable chuck adjacent thereto, a mandrel in driving engagement with said chuck, a bearing slidably mounted on said frame, a shaft received Within said bearing and interlocked with said mandrel, said shaft being movable axially thereof to urge said mandrel into said engagement and to retract said mandrel therefrom, and means on said shaft for sliding said bearing on said frame during movement of said mandrel toward and away from said chuck.

10. In a device for Winding volute coil springs, a frame, a mandrel supported adjacent thereto and rotatable on a substantially horizontal axis, a guide beam having the end thereof adjacent said mandrel supported from said frame and pivotal on a vertical axis, and means for adjustably securing said beam against movement on the last-mentioned axis, the first-mentioned end of said beam also being adjustable in a direction parallel with the axis of the mandrel.

11. Apparatus for coiling springs comprising a frame, a rotatable chuck, a mandrel movable into and out of driving engagement with said chuck,

a bearing movably mounted on said frame, a shaft` on said mandrel received within said bearing and rotatable therewithin, and interlocking means on said shaft and bearing for causing the latter to move with said shaft during movement of said mandrel toward and away from said chuck.

12. Apparatus for Winding volute springs cornprising a mandrel, pivot means adjacent said mandrel, said means being adjustably movable in a plane parallel with the axis of the mandrel, a guide beam having the end thereof adjacent said mandrel pivotally mounted on said means for pivotal movement with respect thereto on an axis approximately perpendicular to the rstmentioned axis, and means for maintaining the beam against pivota1 movement on said pivot means in a predetermined angular position with respect to the mandrel.

13. In a device of the class described, a rotatable chuck, a frame, a bearing movably mounted thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bearing, a mandrel connected to said shaft and movable therewith into and out of driving engagement with said chuck, and means for interlocking said shaft and said bearing to prevent substantial relative movement therebetween longitudinally of said shaft as said mandrel moves into and out of said engagement.

14. In a device of the class described,^a frame, a rotatable chuck, a mandrel comprising a shaft member, a bearing member receiving said shaft member and carried by said frame, said shaft member being rotatably engaged with said bearing member for support thereby, and means for interlocking said bearing member and said frame Iagainst relative rotational movement While accommodating relative movement therebetween axially of said shaft member, said members being movable asf a unit axially of saidA shaft= member and toward. and away from said. chuck, whereby sai-d mandrel is moved into and oul:y :if` driving engagement therewith.

LESTER A.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of thisl patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Bate 1,911,143 Anderson May 23, 1933 720,092 Aiken Feb. 10', 1903 2,389,109 Weisberger et a1. Nov. 13, 1945 2,176,719 Peyton Oct. 17, 1939 IfurrrberV Number 

